Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1175948
M Y T E E N S R E A D , mostly books and articles they're assigned by their teachers. But for fun they watch videos on TikTok and YouTube. This is disconcerting to me, their ancient mother, who is still bewitched by the written word. For this I am indebted to educators who introduced me to "the dazzling beauty of language," as writer Pat Conroy puts it in the poster at right. In the essay containing this quote, Conroy explains exactly how teachers expanded his world: "Because of them I rode with Don Quixote and danced with Anna Karenina at a ball in St. Petersburg and lassoed a steer in Lonesome Dove and had nightmares about slavery in Beloved and walked the streets of Dublin in Ulysses and made up a hundred stories in The Arabian Nights." All educators know that reading transports and transforms. CTA celebrates its power with California Reads 2019-20, a list of teacher- recommended books for students at all levels (page 8), and with inspirational posters you can download and post in your class- room (cta.org/californiareads). Elsewhere in these pages, you can jump into the war being waged in schools across the country, as educators confront the vaping epi- demic ("Risky Business," page 26). Our story looks at how educators are conveying vaping's dangers to students and their parents, fighting back against deceptive advertising targeted at teens and the easy availability of e-cigarettes. e timing is critical, as more people, especially youth, succumb to illnesses tied to vaping. is issue also offers useful tips. For one, who among us hasn't forgotten their password, what with rules dictating they "must contain 8-30 char- acters, a special character and a number"? Check out our recommended password managers (page 50). And don't miss "Hone Your Teacher Voice" (page 46), where broadcaster-turned-teacher Danny Hauger advises veter- ans and newbies alike. In "Battle of the Social Media" (page 14), read excerpts of the many responses to our poll asking which social media platform you use the most for your work and professional development, and why. Perhaps most useful of all are CTA professional development oppor- tunities listed on page 1 and at ctago.org. Conroy credits his success to teachers, because he "soaked up every single thing those magnificent men and women had to give." Students and parents across the state (including my teens and me!) are grateful you give and give, but we know you need to be replenished as well. ank you. Katharine Fong E D I T O R I N C H I E F editor@cta.org "I have read like a man on fire my whole life because the genius of English teachers touched me with the dazzling beauty of language." PAT CONROY Read This Teaching Through Trauma O U R S P E C I A L R E P O R T continues with "A Culture of Compassion," page 20, which features trauma-informed schools that recognize and respond to students with trauma, and educators who keep them on the path to achievement. Youth- care expert Charles D. Appelstein offers strategies for educators on page 39, and teacher Judy Her Duran describes her experience on page 18. Read more at californiaeducator.org/ teaching-through-trauma. Check out all nine inspirational reading posters available for download at cta.org/californiareads. 7 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 019 E D I T O R ' S N O T E